A Day at the Office
by AddleBoy
Summary: A series of drabbles and one-shots that all take place at the Wright & CO. Law Offices. Ch1 summary: Homework is boring alone, but it's fun when we do it together!


Homework

The scratching sound of a pen being dragged across paper filled the quiet office as Phoenix signed his name upon another document. It was, of course, one of a myriad of documents filling up his desk space. They were all from a recent case Phoenix had taken, and he had been toiling at them with little more than the dim light of his desk lamp supporting him for the better half of the evening. Unable to focus his attention on the seemingly endless sheets of white and black in front of him, he let his eyes wonder. They moved first to his ball-point pen, then to a surprisingly less dull plastic box of paper clips, and finally resting on the digital clock sitting at the corner of his desk. The clock glared back at him with bright, red digits that displayed "11:45". Phoenix glared back at the clock, with the meanest look he could muster. He would not give up! He could not give up! He would get this work done tonight, even if it was the last thing he would do! The clock only glared back at him, keeping its steely gazed until Phoenix could not help but buckle under the pressure.

"Alright! You win. I'll just take a small break," he yelled to no one in particular, stretching across the back of his office chair with his arms extended behind him. Loosening his necktie Phoenix let out a long sign in an effort to relax his stiff muscles. He decided to get something to drink and return to the paperwork, but even after abandoning his work-cluttered desk and leaving the office, Phoenix could swear that he could feel the red glare of that digital clock burning "11:56" into his back.

Somehow, Phoenix was able to navigate the darkened corridors leading to the apartment over the law offices. Mia's old, two-bedroom apartment was small and a bit cramped, but it was enough to accommodate a defense attorney and two spirit mediums for the time being. Phoenix edged himself along the wall of the hallway in order to keep his barrings in the dark. He was nearing his destination when he noticed that someone had made it there before him. The fading glow of an artificial light creeped its way into the narrow hallway from the doorway of the living area/kitchenette of the apartment. Phoenix was sure it was Maya up watching re-runs of old Steel Samurai episodes again, but person he least expected was sitting in the dim light of a lamp at the living area's table.

"Pearls?"

The tiny spirit medium looked up from the few sheets of paper she was scribbling on, her attention drawn by the lawyer's voice. "Mr. Nick!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Where's Maya? I was sure she'd still be up," Phoenix questioned as he looked around the small living area for the acolyte.

"Mystic Maya went to bed a long time ago," the girl answered, going back to scribbling with her pencil.

This was certainly an odd occurrence for the defense attorney. Pearls was still wide awake while Maya had gone to sleep hours ago? Their roles were completely reversed. Phoenix did not even know that Pearls was capable of staying up past ten. He checked the circular clock hanging up on the wall of the living area, and it read "12:03". Just what was Pearls doing up so late anyway? Phoenix moved closer to the table, taking interest in the papers she had sprawled out on its smooth, wooden surface. "What are you working on?" he asked curiously.

"Homework," was the simple reply given by the little spirit medium.

Phoenix had always assumed that Pearls was getting an education back in Kurain Village, but the subject of school had never really come up in conversation before. Taking a little more interest in the current topic, Phoenix could not help but wonder, "What grade are you in, Pearls?"

The girl only looked up from her homework with a puzzled expression on her face. "Gr....ade...?" she questioned, obviously not sure what Phoenix was talking about.

"Home-schooling, then? I guess that's not all that surprising," Phoenix mused. "Now that I think about it, I don't ever recall seeing you doing homework before."

"Well, I usually get my homework done when I'm at Kurain, but since I've been here so much lately, I've been falling behind a little...." Pearls explained.

Phoenix could not help but feel responsible for Pearls falling behind, since he was just letting her stay with him and Maya without much thought. "Say, why don't I help you?"

"Really? Are you sure, Mr. Nick? This homework is no laughing matter!" she warned.

Phoenix took a closer look at the contents of Pearls' homework, and found it to contain simple multiplication problems. He was relieved that Pearls was not old enough to be working higher level math. He shuddered at the thought at going through that torture again, especially remembering how he swore off math after graduating from college. Plus, he couldn't look cool if he was struggling just as much as Pearls was. Chuckling to himself he told her, "I think I can handle it." Taking a seat at the table, he sat Pearls in his lap and helped her find the product of eight times seven.

* * *

The clock now read "12:22" .

They finished the homework, but now Pearls was barely able to stay awake. She constantly rubbed at her eyes as if futilely trying to wipe away the Sandman's dust. Phoenix thought that he might as well put Pearls to bed, as he still had homework of his own waiting for him downstairs. However, as he began to stand up, he was interrupted by a sleepy Pearls. "Can't we stay like this for a little while longer?" she pleaded, not wanting to move from her comfortable spot. Phoenix silently complied, and let Pearls snuggle into his chest. Soon enough, the room was filled only by the soft breaths of the girl, and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

That ticking was the sound of the clock screaming at Phoenix to get back to work. Every tick was a hammer slamming into a nail, and every tock was the sound of the nail being driven deeper into his skull. All of that changed when he heard a drowsy voice call out his name.

"Mr. Nick..."

The young spirit medium had called out to Phoenix in her sleep, and upon looking down at the girl's sleeping face, he no longer cared about the clock on the wall berating him. He could not help but smile softly at the girl. Phoenix never had a daughter before, but he was sure that this was what it feels like to be a father.

* * *

Maya awoke from her sleep by a certain rumbling in her tummy. Her breakfast time alarm clock – aka: her stomach – was always sure to wake her up on time for food in the morning. She noticed that Pearly's futon was already neat and made up. Did she wake up before her? Still a bit drowsy, Maya slowly walked toward the living area hoping to find a large breakfast waiting for her.

"Nick, is breakfast re--" she began to call out, but stopped upon entering the living area. Pearly was snuggled comfortably in Phoenix's lap, and Phoenix somehow remained in his sitting position, both of them still sleeping peacefully. Maya looked at the clock hanging on the wall and it read "8:15". She knew that Phoenix should be up by now and thought about waking them up, but she only smiled to herself.

"I think I'll give them another ten minutes."

**Author's Notes: I just felt like writing some fatherly/daughterly like fluff between Phoenix and Pearls.** **Hopefully, there will be more to come soon.**


End file.
